Horrifica
by LilyTheRandom
Summary: William Afton thought it'd give him what he wanted. Satisfaction, maybe. On his part, he felt that the murders he caused meant no harm. But when spirits become restless, they beckon for cold, sweet revenge. Now, Afton's children have changed for the worse, and possibly in the strangest means possible. They're suffering before his own eyes, but is that really his disadvantage?
1. Prologue

_She's coming._

Thumping footsteps rocked the floor as Brendon dove under the table, skidding on the cold, slick tile. Two piercing pink lights broke the darkness, scanning the checkered floor like a spotlight on a stage.

"I know you're in here somewhere..." the creature whispered raspily as it slowly approached him. "You know you can't hide for long, hun..!"

The scratches of the mechanical monster's feet grew closer and closer, and only now Brendon could barely make out its features. As he cautiously peeked through the legs of the cheap plastic chairs, he saw the grotesque build of the mech. Its sharp feathers were strewn about, pointing in awkward angles. Twisted limbs hung near-separated from its bulky body, only held together by stripes of flesh and wires. The awful, metallic stench of blood and mucus began to fill the room.

Brendon whipped his head back in disgust, briefly forgetting he was under a table. His head bonked a chair, uncovering his hiding spot as the scars and stitches across his forehead began to ache. The monster halted in its tracks as its head twisted and popped beyond it's normal range to face him. It stalled for barely a second, it's cracked beak and faux teeth glinting despite the feeble light.

"There you are..!" the grotesque creature croaked, her plastic beak snapping open and shut. The bird giggled, but it all seemed like a faux emotion to Brendon.

"Do-on't be shy, Brendon!" she cackled, uncaring if she was heard.

Brendon scooted back under the table trembling with fear. The robot's joints whirred and clicked as she bent down to Brendon's level, her wing thrusting under the table as its knife-like feathers sliced the tablecloth with ease. After the cloth was shredded into thousands of threads, he closed his eyes and whispered, just as the bloodstained feathers of Chica the Chicken soared straight at him.

 _"Dad.. what did you do to them..?"_


	2. Secrecy Counts

The heat of the summer was almost unbearable, somehow getting hotter than it should have in the early morning. William Afton's old, rusty car was barely keeping up with itself, stuttering and popping but still strolling. He wasn't even paying attention to the road anymore, he was just gripping the wheel with white knuckles and sweaty palms as he gazed past a road seemingly leading nowhere. Shaking himself out of his distraction, he swung his head to read the time his dashboard displayed. _9:47._

 _Good,_ he thought. _I'm somewhat early for once._

The shadow of a building loomed in the distance. As the car crawled closer, the cool concrete of the structure began to show itself under the shade of the trees around it, the wide doors and wacky posters beginning to show their colors. A cheesy Broadway-esque sign hung from the outer walls of the building, the neon glowing despite it only being the morning. Sloppily-painted letters barely brought the message. _Freddy Fazbear's Pizza Parlor_ , it read. _Where fantasy and fun come to life!_

William halted the car, parking sloppily in the near-empty lot. A few other cars, glimmering despite the spotty light from the trees, were parked perfectly near the front of the building. He wasn't alone today, and that almost took his mind off the ninety-degree heat. He sat there in the oven of a car, waiting for something to cross his mind that would never come.

All of a sudden, a tall and lanky figure burst out of the restaurant, flinging the double doors wide open. It was Henry, William's business partner and co-owner of Freddy's. _Who would've guessed?_ William thought to himself. _He's always the first one here._

"H-hey, why are you stalling, Will? You know there's gonna be huge crowds today! We need to get to work, buddy!" Henry said, an expression of worry carved on his face. William woke from his thoughtless state, hopped out of the car and near-sprinted back to the restaurant.

"Now, you know these guys love to break down..", Henry spoke, once again worriedly, as they pushed open the doors to the pizzeria. "Now, Chica needs a tweak or two, Freddy needs his mic fixed..." Henry babbled on as he usually did, passing a few other employees. William didn't need explanations. _I built these darn things,_ he wanted to say, _I know what's wrong with them._ But he didn't snap.

"You know what, Henry, I'll just go on and fix 'em real quick," William muttered hastily, and jogged down a darkened, musty hallway to meet the door of the backroom. Parts and Service. The door opened with a shriek of steel, and feeble light flooded the room.

William, despite entering this room for years and years before, was still fascinated by the gallery of machinery and parts strewn across the shelves. Robotic arms and legs stuck out from boxes, accompanying torsos and hands without an owner. Spare heads of the entire Fazbear crew and more hung from posts on a wall like coats. A scratched steel table stood in the center of the room, the four robotic performers lying in a perfect line, their lifeless glass eyes staring towards the ceiling. Will quickly but carefully repaired the bots and carried the 300-pound toys out to the stage, placing them in their correct spots on the colorful, wacky stages they belonged on.

After finishing the daily task, William ran back to the back-room and slammed the door shut, sighing in relief as he flipped the flickering light on. Dust danced across the unpolished floor. The light barely lit the whole room, just enough to touch the corners and illuminate his own contraptions.

Henry had assisted William in building all the stage bots, but there were two that he kept almost entirely to himself. They sat slouched against the wall, almost ready to fall over onto the cold tiled floor. Their limp golden limbs hung from their torso, held together only by thin metal strips and other silver bits running through the hollow golden exteriors. Will temporarily turned himself away from his creations and slowly walked over to a grey, rusted file cabinet in the far corner of the room. Opening a drawer with complete silence despite the rust, one packet of papers and documents sat in the desolate bureau.

Laughing to himself, William took the document from the cabinet. Looking over it, he knew that this was indeed the plan. The theories. He was ready to see what he could do today, with the plan's assistance.

 _It's time._


	3. A Morbid Success

10:00 AM. _Open._

The employees were jogging around the restaurant, making quick fixes to anything that needed so before the customers came crashing in. Chairs were lined up neatly by the tables, party hats for every kid lay on top of each plastic seat. William was hiding away in the backroom, overlooking the papers one too many times and being sure to remember his plan. He set down the dusty papers, once again snapping out of distraction. He began to pace towards the two suits in the back, their clean yellow fur sticking to whatever touched it. The sounds of laughing children erupted from outside, flooding the dining room's every corner.

 _Not yet. Don't do it to them now. Be patient._

William sighed and began to reach toward one of the suits. It took on the likeness of a bunny, sporting a violet bowtie and buttons all down its chest. He picked the creature up and flipped it around to the back, revealing a shiny steel crank, half-connected to every mechanism in the ornate workings of the suit.

 _Release and tighten the locks, Will. You've done this for years,_ he thought to himself. _It shouldn't be that freaking hard._

Turning the handle around and around, the innards of the suit clicked and compressed, sliding crudely to the edges of the costume. Springs snapped, holding the robotic parts of the suit.. somewhat secure. Sliding the suit over his body, William no longer had to be the slouchy, grouchy person he usually was. He could control the character, something he enjoyed most about working at Freddy's. It made everything okay. He was not William Afton, but Spring Bonnie in this costume. It was.. gratifying, in a sense.

William burst out of the backroom, bowing and dancing for the children while singing through the wide gape of the costume's mouth. For hours and hours on end, he held back the locks while skipping across the pizzeria, all the while waiting for his chance.

* * *

 _Finally._

The clock struck three. The parents of all the little children were already tiring, but the kiddos were still slapping their sticky pizza-covered hands all over the glitched arcade games. William began to creep closer to the arcades, looking for just the right children to pluck as if they were low-hanging fruit on a tree. As children circled around him in excitement, Will found just the right idea.

Speaking in the silly, cartoonish voice of Spring Bonnie, he shouted out to the children.

"Heeeey kids! Who wants a big surprise from Spring Bonnieeee?"

Kids began to yell and shout all around. Beneath the sweaty golden bunny mask, William smirked.

 _You have no idea,_ he thought. _No idea at all._

Thinking carelessly, he randomly picked four of the children in the enormous crowd. The chosen ones all squealed in glee, and the ones left behind groaned and sobbed, slouching in disappointment. Spring Bonnie and the kids began skipping along to the backroom, oblivious to what was to come to them.

As Spring Bonnie waved the ecstatic kiddos into the dark, musty room, they all carved looks of confusion on their faces. Slamming the door shut, William faced the kids in the shadows.

Cackling louder than a pack of hyenas on high, Will snagged a rusted screwdriver from the table in the pitch-black room, its end sharpened like a spear. The young children began to cry and shriek, but that only gave a way for the masked maniac to hunt them down. One by one, he clutched the children and drove the old screwdriver straight through their hearts, blood the color of red velvet dribbling down their shirts and dresses as they coughed and cried.

After all of them were dead as doorknobs, the killer rested in the backroom until hours past closing, thinking about how far he'd come that day. He was about to blow the world's minds with this theory, this path to creating life in something lifeless. If it worked, he'd have practically whatever he wanted... but if it didn't, he'd be a man without a supportive family. A man without a loving home. A man without hope. A man without.. anything. This project was his turning point in life.

 _My chance,_ he told himself.

Even past the pure brutality of his experiment, he thought to himself as he took off the sweaty rabbit suit, left the back room and began to carry the heavy animatronic beasts from the shining stage into the room he stayed in. One by one, he took the mangled corpses of children and hurriedly placed them inside the near-hollow bodies of the robo-performers, completing the procedure he had studied for so long. As he left the restaurant in the dark of the night, he pondered to himself once more.

 _Things are really going to change, aren't they?  
_

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Hello! I hope you all are enjoying Horrifica so far!

I'm going to try to post chapters for this story about two or three (maybe four?) times a week. Stay tuned, my friends, for Horrifica is about to get interesting! ;)

Meanwhile, I'll try and find the time to write some other fanfictions. See y'all later!


	4. Shock vs Satisfaction

Henry, despite him being in a state of shock the previous night, had returned to Freddy's the next morning with a clean mind. William awaited him at the finger-smudged glass door, once again prepared for a new day of entertaining the masses.

As William flipped a switch, the fluorescent neon lights of the place lit in unison, filling the room with a joyful atmosphere. The curtains upon the stage were still closed, but glimmering in the light as if the drapes themselves were somehow alive. They opened at the perfect pace, revealing the three animatronics, their looks just the same as they were the evening prior.

He jogged over to the rusted steel door of the backstage, where in the dark, he removed one golden suit.

It was the golden bear, the one known as Fredbear. A blackish-blue top hat and bowtie decorated the otherwise-plain suit. He held the robotic costume up, placing it on top of the stage, right next to the dapper Freddy Fazbear. "I guess we should let this puppy perform today, Henry. He ain't seen the light in years," William smirked. "After all, it is my two kids' special day..!"

Just after he bolted the golden machine to the stage, he suddenly skedaddled out the sticky doors of the place with a grin on his face. Turning back, he yelled to Henry. "Just finish the place up, I'll be back in 30!"

William sprinted to his car, hopping in the door and slamming it shut. He drove off seemingly as fast as a cheetah, the dust from the roads clouding in his wake. He rapidly approached his own house, slamming on the brakes with barely any breath left. Normally, he wouldn't be this ecstatic just to pick his kids up from home, but today was the first time his children would see the lovely pizzeria. This was the very first time his kids would see his creations that he was oh-so-proud of.

Now, before we continue on, these children deserve a proper introduction.

Michael was a tall 15-year-old. His dark, messy hair usually hung over his copper-brown eyes. He may have been somewhat muscular for his age, but he was still thin compared to most kids he knew.

Suzy was just turning ten, quite an energetic child, and her strawberry blonde hair always curled and bounced every which way she went. Her optimism would light up a room within a second.

Brendon, the same age as Suzy, was just like Michael but quite a bit shorter. He was never the bravest of children, nor the strongest, but that never mattered to him.

"Suzy! Brendon! Michael! I'm back, and we're leaving now!" he yelled excitedly like he'd never really done before. Brendon and Suzy barrelled down the wooden stairs with glee holding their favorite plush toys by their sides. Michael ran down slightly slower, aware of any risk coming his way. He clutched a mask behind his back unawares. He had only grabbed it without a thought, uncaring where it came from or what it was.

The three hopped into William's old car, Michael in the front and the other two in the back. William gleefully explained just where they were heading as Brendon and Suzy oohed in delight.

"This sounds sooo cool, Dad!" Brendon hollered, gripping onto the back of the driver's seat with excitement. Suzy chimed in, already daydreaming about the big, happy animals that would sing just for her and her brothers. She was almost ready to be greeted by thousands of bear hugs and bunny kisses, just being the optimist she was.

Michael scowled and slouched in disgust. Gazing out the grimy, half-blurred window at the grayish-red mountains, he thought of going anywhere but Freddy's. A sigh escaped his lips like a dandelion in the crack of a sidewalk. He didn't want to be there. Michael may have looked ignorant, but in all reality, he felt a knot in his stomach. Something was _not_ right.

William, taking his eyes off the lesser-trodden road, glanced at his oblivious son for just a moment and looked back to the road filled with confusion. Shrugging it off like he did with the bills, he continued the last stretch to Freddy's.

Finally, their rusted-down silver car arrived right at the doors of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza Parlor. William opened the doors to the car as if he was a chauffeur, his purple uniform popping out against the rectangular grey building. After all the children hopped out of the car, William took their hands and walked proudly towards the glowing front doors. They all smiled together, even Michael smirked in the aura of happiness around the family. It was somehow gratifying, even for just a moment.

As they shoved the doors open, Henry greeted them wearing a sharp violet uniform like William's and showed them to a table right in front of the stage. The golden-white lights blared from above, shining light into every nook and cranny of the room. Confetti hung from the ceiling as if it was frozen in time. The family took their seats, the plastic tablecloth covering their legs and feet just right. The curtains on the big stage flipped open unnaturally, revealing the traditional trio of thespians. They somehow looked normal, un-haunted. Their eyes gleamed with the bare suggestion of life, just like they always had.

But then, in the very exact center of the stage, right where Freddy would have placed his oversized paws, stood Fredbear. Beside him, the regular mascot of Freddy's sung along to a song that had just begun. The golden bear in the center stood perfectly still among the others with eyes drifted to the glossy wooden floor of the stage as if it felt emotions. It's face was hidden in shadow, despite the amount of light in the room, and it almost seemed to be filling with life. Even after forever seemed to have passed, it still stood slouched in the same position.

Michael poked Brendon in the shoulder. "Hey, what's that doing there..?" he began to say, pointing towards the yellow-furred bear. Brendon took one glance at it and then immediately turned his head away.

"I don't know, Mike. I-it's kinda creepy." Brendon mumbled, shivering as he tried not to look at it.

A robotic fox poked it's slim head outside of a distant purple curtain in the room and faced straight at Michael as it opened it's jaw like it was laughing at him. He felt another pit in his stomach. This thing was glaring straight through him, almost reading his own mind. Michael flipped his head around, trying to ignore the twisted fox's stare. Once again, he found himself looking back at the creature. Just the look alone was controlling him. He stood without his own command as William left the table to cook pizza for the family. A child's voice began chanting in the back of his mind, growing impossibly louder as he tried to hold back against it.

 _"Brethren in the jaws! Brethren in the jaws! Brethren in the jaws of the bear!"_

Before he even knew it, he held the mask in his hands. The same one he absentmindedly grabbed earlier now looked less like plastic and more like a living thing. It appeared exactly like the fox behind the midnight-purple drapes. Even though he tried to cover his face with his hands, the damned mask slipped over his teenage head as he unwillingly picked up his little brother with a grip too strong to be human. Brendon shrieked at the horror onstage as mothers and children turned their heads. Under the tablecloth, Suzy cowered away, hugging a stuffed rabbit.

Fredbear began to tilt upward robotically, his mug finally shown. Sharp teeth lined the gums of it's maw, eyes filled with hatred gazing straight at Michael and Brendon almost hungrily. Everything about it looked like a monster and not a friendly bear like William had made him to be. Michael robotically stepped towards the stage, still clutching his brother. Beneath the dark eyes of the mask, tears streamed down his face. The only thing he could do was try and tune out the voice still shrieking in the back his mind. Onstage, Fredbear laughed in an unnaturally deep tone.

 _Everything's okay, Mike. It's just a dream. You wouldn't hurt your brother._ he told himself, forgetting if he was lying to himself or not.

Brendon faced Michael, tears pouring down his face as well. He stared into the dark eyeholes of the mask, a subtle hint of hope on his young, smooth face. Brendon knew that his own brother couldn't ever do this to him. It wasn't natural, but it was so unreal that it couldn't be a faux memory.

Michael only stared at the yellow bear. The three main animatronics began to stomp closer to Fredbear in a fashion too similar to his. Parents began to hide their children in fear of what might happen. William and Henry both hurriedly dashed towards the stage, but it was too late. Michael had raised Brendon towards the mouth of the nightmarish bear. It's maw opened wide, revealing rows upon rows of tilted, dagger-like teeth. Just before the creature's jaws snapped shut on Brendon's forehead, Michael clamped his eyes shut and screamed through the tears that ran down his face.

 _"I'm sorry, Brendon!"_

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Hey, y'all! Sorry for the late chapter this time around. It's been a busy week. Plus, I've been planning another AU or two. :P

What do you all think of Horrifica so far? I'm curious, especially considering the direction I'm taking with this.

Stay tuned! :D


	5. Out for a Bite

Henry, despite him being in a state of shock the previous night, had returned to Freddy's the next morning with a clean mind. William awaited him at the finger-smudged glass door, once again prepared for a new day of entertaining the masses.

As William flipped a switch, the fluorescent neon lights of the place lit in unison, filling the room with a joyful atmosphere. The curtains upon the stage were still closed, but glimmering in the light as if the drapes themselves were somehow alive. They opened at the perfect pace, revealing the three animatronics, their looks just the same as they were the evening prior.

He jogged over to the rusted steel door of the backstage, where in the dark, he removed one golden suit.

It was the golden bear, the one known as Fredbear. A blackish-blue top hat and bowtie decorated the otherwise-plain suit. He held the robotic costume up, placing it on top of the stage, right next to the dapper Freddy Fazbear. "I guess we should let this puppy perform today, Henry. He ain't seen the light in years," William smirked. "After all, it is my two kids' special day..!"

Just after he bolted the golden machine to the stage, he suddenly skedaddled out the sticky doors of the place with a grin on his face. Turning back, he yelled to Henry. "Just finish the place up, I'll be back in 30!"

William sprinted to his car, hopping in the door and slamming it shut. He drove off seemingly as fast as a cheetah, the dust from the roads clouding in his wake. He rapidly approached his own house, slamming on the brakes with barely any breath left. Normally, he wouldn't be this ecstatic just to pick his kids up from home, but today was the first time his children would see the lovely pizzeria. This was the very first time his kids would see his creations that he was oh-so-proud of.

Now, before we continue on, these children deserve a proper introduction.

Michael was a tall 15-year-old with dark black hair and copper-brown eyes.

Suzy was just turning ten, quite an energetic child, and her strawberry blonde hair always curled and bounced every which way she went. Her optimism would light up a room within a second.

Brendon, the same age as Suzy, was just like Michael but quite a bit shorter. He was never the bravest of children, nor the strongest, but that never mattered to him.

"Suzy! Brendon! Michael! I'm back, and we're leaving now!" he yelled excitedly like he'd never really done before. Brendon and Suzy barrelled down the wooden stairs with glee holding their favorite plush toys by their sides. Michael ran down slightly slower, aware of any risk coming his way. He clutched a mask behind his back unawares. He had only grabbed it without a thought, uncaring where it came from or what it was.

The three hopped into William's old car, Michael in the front and the other two in the back. William gleefully explained just where they were heading as Brendon and Suzy oohed in delight.

"This sounds sooo cool, Dad!" Brendon hollered, gripping onto the back of the driver's seat with excitement. Suzy chimed in, already daydreaming about the big, happy animals that would sing just for her and her brothers. She was almost ready to be greeted by thousands of bear hugs and bunny kisses, just being the optimist she was.

Michael scowled and slouched in disgust. Gazing out the grimy, half-blurred window at the grayish-red mountains, he thought of going anywhere but Freddy's. A sigh escaped his lips like a dandelion in the crack of a sidewalk. He didn't want to be there. Michael may have looked ignorant, but in all reality, he felt a knot in his stomach. Something was _not_ right.

William, taking his eyes off the lesser-trodden road, glanced at his oblivious son for just a moment and looked back to the road filled with confusion. Shrugging it off like he did with the bills, he continued the last stretch to Freddy's.

Finally, their rusted-down silver car arrived right at the doors of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza Parlor. William opened the doors to the car as if he was a chauffeur, his purple uniform popping out against the rectangular grey building. After all the children hopped out of the car, William took their hands and walked proudly towards the glowing front doors. They all smiled together, even Michael smirked in the aura of happiness around the family. It was somehow gratifying, even for just a moment.

As they shoved the doors open, Henry greeted them wearing a sharp violet uniform like William's and showed them to a table right in front of the stage. The golden-white lights blared from above, shining light into every nook and cranny of the room. Confetti hung from the ceiling as if it was frozen in time. The family took their seats, the plastic tablecloth covering their legs and feet just right. The curtains on the big stage flipped open unnaturally, revealing the traditional trio of thespians. They somehow looked normal, un-haunted. Their eyes gleamed with the bare suggestion of life, just like they always had.

But then, in the very exact center of the stage, right where Freddy would have placed his oversized paws, stood Fredbear. Beside him, the regular mascot of Freddy's sung along to a song that had just begun. The golden bear in the center stood perfectly still among the others with eyes drifted to the glossy wooden floor of the stage as if it felt emotions. It's face was hidden in shadow, despite the amount of light in the room, and it almost seemed to be filling with life. Even after forever seemed to have passed, it still stood slouched in the same position.

Michael poked Brendon in the shoulder. "Hey, what's that doing there..?" he began to say, pointing towards the yellow-furred bear. Brendon took one glance at it and then immediately turned his head away.

"I don't know, Mike. I-it's kinda creepy." Brendon mumbled, shivering as he tried not to look at it.

A robotic fox poked it's slim head outside of a distant purple curtain in the room and faced straight at Michael as it opened it's jaw like it was laughing at him. He felt another pit in his stomach. This thing was glaring straight through him, almost reading his own mind. Michael flipped his head around, trying to ignore the twisted fox's stare. Once again, he found himself looking back at the creature. Just the look alone was controlling him. He stood without his own command as William left the table to cook pizza for the family. A child's voice began chanting in the back of his mind, growing impossibly louder as he tried to hold back against it.

 _"Brethren in the jaws! Brethren in the jaws! Brethren in the jaws of the bear!"_

Before he even knew it, he held the mask in his hands. The same one he absentmindedly grabbed earlier now looked less like plastic and more like a living thing. It appeared exactly like the fox behind the midnight-purple drapes. Even though he tried to cover his face with his hands, the damned mask slipped over his teenage head as he unwillingly picked up his little brother with a grip too strong to be human. Brendon shrieked at the horror onstage as mothers and children turned their heads. Under the tablecloth, Suzy cowered away, hugging a stuffed rabbit.

Fredbear began to tilt upward robotically, his mug finally shown. Sharp teeth lined the gums of it's maw, eyes filled with hatred gazing straight at Michael and Brendon almost hungrily. Everything about it looked like a monster and not a friendly bear like William had made him to be. Michael robotically stepped towards the stage, still clutching his brother. Beneath the dark eyes of the mask, tears streamed down his face. The only thing he could do was try and tune out the voice still shrieking in the back his mind. Onstage, Fredbear laughed in an unnaturally deep tone.

 _Everything's okay, Mike. It's just a dream. You wouldn't hurt your brother._ he told himself, forgetting if he was lying to himself or not.

Brendon faced Michael, tears pouring down his face as well. He stared into the dark eyeholes of the mask, a subtle hint of hope on his young, smooth face. Brendon knew that his own brother couldn't ever do this to him. It wasn't natural, but it was so unreal that it couldn't be a faux memory.

Michael only stared at the yellow bear. The three main animatronics began to stomp closer to Fredbear in a fashion too similar to his. Parents began to hide their children in fear of what might happen. William and Henry both hurriedly dashed towards the stage, but it was too late. Michael had raised Brendon towards the mouth of the nightmarish bear. It's maw opened wide, revealing rows upon rows of tilted, dagger-like teeth. Just before the creature's jaws snapped shut on Brendon's forehead, Michael clamped his eyes shut and screamed through the tears that ran down his face.

 _"I'm sorry, Brendon!"_

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Hey, y'all! Sorry for the late chapter this time around. It's been a busy week. Plus, I've been planning another AU or two. :P

What do you all think of Horrifica so far? I'm curious, especially considering the direction I'm taking with this.

Stay tuned! :D


	6. Horrifying and Unusual Times

_CHOMP._

Fredbear's jaw crashed down upon Brendon's forehead. Blood spewed from sunken tooth marks as Michael yanked his unconscious brother from the creature and fell to his knees. The bear stood still.

Tearing the fox mask off his head, he no longer heard the blaring voice in his head. All he could hear was his own bawling over the muffled panic of the audience. Something about him felt different than before, more like he was a criminal instead of a normal teenager. William kneeled by his side, eyes wide with mixed emotions. He looked scared, devastated and sympathetic all at once.

They stared back at Brendon, the majority of his face soaked in his own blood. The two, father and son, both sat together while the endless crowd fled from the joint, covering their children's delicate, young eyes. The world seemed to fade in front of them as flashing red-and-blue lights blazed outside.

The next thing he could remember, Michael was sitting solemnly in the blank, dreary waiting room of the hospital, holding Suzy close like she was the only kid left on Earth. Hours seemed to pass as slow as paint trying to dry in the rain.

After what seemed like an infinity later, a doctor spoke in words that Michael didn't care to hear while the family was led through twisted, complex halls. They passed by wheelchairs, stretchers and endless doors before finally finding themselves in a room that reeked of over-sanitation and latex gloves. A table sat in the clear middle of the room, lights and surgical widgets surrounding the platform as surgeons hovered over a child's still-living body.

Plastic chairs were neatly placed in the side of the room. The doctor that led them in told them to take a seat, leaving the family sitting in an awkwardly crowded clump of three.

Michael saw Brendon lying fast asleep on the platform, unconsciously clutching the plush bear he had brought to Freddy's that very morning. Stitches lined the poor child's forehead, just beginning to hide his teenager felt a pang in his stomach once again seeing his own little brother like this. The doctor spoke once again to his father in a comforting yet unsettlingly calm voice.

"He should be alright, mister Afton. Luckily, _whatever it was_ didn't puncture too deep.. The only thing damaged was his frontal lobe, and that wasn't a very significant injury. You and your son were lucky. If anything else happened, he would have been dead.."

Michael drifted off into daydreaming as the surgeon babbled on. It was his only distraction from whatever surgery was occurring. He didn't even know why his family, especially Suzy, were in the surgical room anyway. His mind wandered off into the past, memories of picnics and parties alongside visions of carnivals long past, sometimes thoughts from even before Brendon and Suzy were there. Good days, bad days. A trip down memory lane, you might say. Memories of Mom, of when Dad had someone els-

Little pokes on his arm woke him from his visions. Little Suzy was trying to get his attention as the body of his brother moved a bit on the table. Michael snapped to attention like a soldier in the army as his brother just began to open his eyes.

Gauze bandages wrapped over Brendon's messy brown hair and over his forehead, concealing the scars and stitches that held his forehead together. He slowly sat up with a doctor's gloved hand on his back. The surgeons carefully dawdled about how he was okay and alive and how nothing too serious had happened. Then they tilted the boy's head to his family.

Michael was crying in joy. The brother he thought he would lose forever was okay. Suzy leaped frantically from her chair as Michael stood and they both walked slowly to see Brendon, still sitting on the table. He slowly stepped off, grasping his sister and brother in his wrinkled hospital gown like they were reunited after years of tragedy. They said nothing, but knew everything. They were family once again.

"Brendon, Michael, Suzy.. how about we go back home?" William softly murmured to the children. They all nodded in unison, smiles on their faces despite the things they had seen. They picked themselves up off the tiled floor and finally walked towards the exit, almost knowing that they were okay and that was all that mattered. Michael didn't need to be scared again that day. Nobody did.

On the drive home, the sun slowly set over the Utah mountains, scattering a strong golden light across the land that begun to fade. Michael held his head up was he watched the land fly by out the window. Plants and houses began to lose their outlines as the light diminished.

When the ground was covered in the blanket of shadow and the bright round moon rose, Michael began to feel wobbly in a way he'd never be able to describe. He tried to speak to his father to tell him, but words couldn't form in his mouth.

 _What the heck?_

The feeling only got stronger over the last stretch home. The car screeched on it's brakes in the driveway and Michael shot off towards the front door of the house. Gripping the brass doorknob and flinging the door open, he ran upstairs to the place he called his room and slammed the door shut. Nothing today had compelled him to just disappear like this. The queasy feeling was now painfully strong, just like the voice screeching in his mind.

About twenty long, slow minutes after he locked himself away, a miserable howl came from Michael's bedroom. William rapidly placed the unfinished dinner he was cooking for the children down and hustled in the quickest way to the room, Suzy following behind in pure curiosity despite knowing any sort of risk. The pale wooden door to Michael's room was haphazardly shut. Blood-curdling screams echoed from the room, sending a shiver down William's spine as the house seemed to shake. Suzy gripped her father's arm in fear, murmuring words of re-encouragement against the shrieks. William cautiously and near-silently peeled the door open as Michael's painful screaming began to get more raspy. Through the dim, faded light, he barely saw the horrifying scene playing out before his own eyes.

The creature, the thing that was once Michael, thrashed about in his room, trophies and books scattered along the floor. A long, scarred canine snout stuck out from his red fox-like face. Ugly and sharp claws protruded from his now-deformed hands. Michael's clothes were tattered and ripped, scraps of fabric floating to the floor. He wasn't human, but instead a monster haining from the deepest reaches of hell. A nightmarish replica of Foxy the Pirate stood in front of William, it's screams terrifyingly human.

William turned back to Suzy and yelled over the miserable howls. "Suzy, go take care of Brendon! I'll explain it all later, just... go downstairs, _NOW!"_

Suzy bolted down the banisters, grabbing Brendon by the arm and diving into the house's large living room. They sat together, holding each other in a tight hug as Suzy tried her best to comfort her terrified twin brother.

Meanwhile, upstairs, William heard his son's howls gradually cease into silence. Peeking open the door just a tiny bit more, he stepped one foot inside the darkened bedroom. The canine creature sat weeping in pain and anguish on the bed, it's monstrous hands shielding its eyes from itself.

"Michael..." William whispered, approaching the monster on the bed. "Michael..?" All he could bring himself to say was his son's name.

The thing that once was Michael looked up from his hands, staring at his father with marks of tears streaming down his face.

"Dad.. I'm a monster..!" Michael began to cry another river's worth of tears. William placed a comforting hand on his son's furred shoulder and sat right next to him but kept his mouth shut. "What will everyone think of me..? Why did I..?" he murmured through the tears, his questions hanging in the air unfinished.

"Son, I'm so, _so_ sorry this had to happen to us, I really am. It's certainly... strange, but we'll live through it. After all, you're fifteen, Michael. You can make it. Now, you can't just sit in your room forever, right?"

Michael looked straight at his father, tears still trickling down his face. "No, um.. I-I can't."

William looked straight into his son's now-silver eyes. "Look, Michael. I'll leave you alone for a minute, OK? I'll go talk to Brendon and Suzy.. I know that even now, they'll still know and love you just the way you are." He walked briskly out the door, but not before he said one more thing; "I'll fix this soon, Michael. I'll fix this."

He slowly sulked down the stairs and approached his younger children in the living room. Suzy was still talking to Brendon, cheering him up by giving him another hug.

"Children.. I have some news I have to break to you," William said solemnly as he put one of his hands on each kid's shoulder like he had with Michael. "Your brother, Michael, he's, erm... changed, in a sense. He isn't like he was before, but I hope you two can come to accept this."

The kids looked at him, knowing what he said would be nothing less than true.

"Now, should we go upstairs and see him?" William spoke once again after a minute of silence. Brendon and Suzy nodded immediately.

"I will warn you two, though. He looks nothing like he did before, kids, and you might be scared. I don't know how long he's going to be like this, but we'll just have to accept him for who he is, OK?"

Once again, the twins nodded. They stood with their father and slowly walked up the stairs, ready for whatever laid behind the door.


	7. A Fox's Lament

Michael lay down on his bed, waiting for when his father would return. He had almost calmed down by then, but he was still sore from what happened. He faced his window in the dark where the stars glittered in the late-night sky. Still terrified of himself and what he'd become, he gazed outside just a bit longer to try and forget. He almost fell asleep in the pale moonlight, thinking questions he couldn't answer as the light outlined each strand of wiry fur on his arms. He still softly weeped, covering his eyes with his paws. He didn't want to become such a horrifying beast, the living replica of the animatronic he hated most.

 _Will I ever be... human again?_ Shaking his head, he talked to himself again, still shaken from the experience. _Don't think like this, Mike. You'll be alright._

The door swished open, a shadow touching the wall in front of him within a frame of light.

"Hello, Michael. I'm back," William commented in a light tone. "Do you want Brendon and Suzy to see you yet, or do you need a bit more time?"

Michael turned towards the doorway and uncovered his gleaming, tearful eyes, hesitantly nodding. "Y-yeah, sure, Dad. It's not like there's a real choice."

Behind the door, William frowned just a bit. "Michael, you don't have to let them see you if you don't want it yet. It's entirely up to you. I don't want to force you to do things if you don't want to."

Michael replied quickly. "Sure, I guess. Let them in. Like you said, I can't hide here forever, right?"

Without a response, the door opened a crack more. The light in the room flickered on and Michael sat up on the bed, tear marks still faintly visible on his sharp, canine face. Seeing himself in the light, he saw just how different he really was. His claws were ugly but sharp and stuck out at odd angles. His joints seemed to be separated by wires and odd mechanisms, contradicting how naturally he seemed to move.

Suzy poked her head inside the now-lit room. She stood almost completely still, examining the strewn-about furniture and scraps of clothes. Her eyes drifted to Michael, and she tiptoed a bit closer.

"Mikey..?" she whispered, almost cautious of what she had to say.

"Yep.. it's me, Mike. I'm still here. I'm just kinda..." Mike paused for a second, thinking of a way to finish his sentence. " _..y'know._ Different."

Suzy ran up to Michael, uncaring of the unsettling appearance he wore. "You're sooo cool now, Mikey!" Turning her head, she yelled out to Brendon, who was too afraid to look in the room. "Brendooon! Come on inside, Mikey's awesome!"

Brendon walked in reluctantly, ignoring the mess and staring straight at his brother. "Mike...," he said, shuddering a bit, "You look so much like..."

Interrupting Brendon, Michael smirked. "..that one fox robot? Yeah, I know, bro. Come here, I won't hurt ya, even though it sure looks like I'd rip you to shreds, heh."

Brendon jumped up to his now-canine brother and hugged him as tight as he could. "I still love you like a brother, Mike. You're perfect, I don't care what you look like, you're still my brother and that will never change!" William, spectating from the hallway, smirked. He knew the kids wouldn't be afraid.

"Come on, kids. We need to get some dinner in you, and it's getting a bit late. Michael, is it alright if they ask a few questions at the table? I'm sorry if it's a bit... _personal._ "

Michael nodded, accepting the offer, and picked his new body off the bed. Brendon and Suzy did the same, and they all slid down the stairs, where some fresh macaroni and cheese was awaiting them.

The family sat themselves down upon the chairs in the dining room. Despite Michael's willingness, nobody asked questions. After everyone's plates were nearly licked clean, Michael looked up to his father, solemnity shadowing his eyes.

"Dad.. do you know why all of this happened today?" Michael questioned.

William sighed. "Son, you wouldn't want to know. All _you_ need to hear is that I made a horrible mistake, it's my fault and that is _that._ " He scowled a bit, seemingly in spite.

"Why won't you tell us?"

Scowling, William kept speaking, but more coldly with every word. "I just can't tell you. I don't care that this is the strangest damn day of our lives. I _will not_ say anything about it. The only thing I can say is that it was my fault. _That is all, Michael._ "

"So this is your fault? I'm a horrifying monster because of you?!" Michael's voice had raised to an angry shout as he stood up and banged the table with his robotic fists. Brendon and Suzy stared in shock, unable to comprehend the situation rapidly unfolding before them.

The father and son then began screaming at eachother, William still refusing to mention what he'd done. Michael stormed up to his room, Brendon and Suzy filing behind to their own. They just didn't feel like continuing any conversation with their father that night.

The kids all tucked themselves into their beds immediately after. Their eyes shut as soon as they hit the pillows, almost forgetting the abnormal events that occurred that day. They slept better than they ever had, but little did they know that something was lurking silently outside the children's door even past the mark of midnight. It was long after their father had laid his head to rest, waiting for it's chance.

 _Michael._

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Hello!

I'd hate to be annoying with the question, but what do y'all think so far? I'm curious.

On another note, I'm not only going to be posting chapters for this a bit faster (school just got out! :D) but I'm also writing another AU! Get ready for Cataclysmic Circus, my friends!


	8. Insecurity and Danger Go Hand-in-Hand

_Scratch, scratch._

Brendon jolted from his sleep, his breaths jagged and rushed. The unsettling clawing continued outside the room, almost like a dog was begging to be fed. Jumping out of his own bed, he pawed his way to Suzy's bed in the dark to wake her from her slumber. The scratching got louder and louder as she fluttered her eyes open, immediately averting her gaze to the door.

Under her breath, she whispered as quietly as she could. "What the.. what's making that sound?"

Brendon stared at the door, then looked back. "I'm pretty sure that's Mi-" His speech was cut off by a raspy whisper at the door.

"I can _heeear_ you!"

The kids both fell into complete silence. The only thing they could do was stand still and remember how to breathe.

"Aren't you gonna let me in? I know you're in there!" The scratchy voice slithered again. "You know it's not polite to lock your big brother Mike outside!"

Brendon glanced at Suzy with presentiment. Both of them knew that this couldn't be Mike, not by the way he acted the very evening before. They didn't even need to speak, for at that point, they just understood.

"I'm gonna break in there if you don't open up, _squirts!"_ Michael's words were harsh like he was a heartless killer and not the kind older brother he really was. Brendon dove under his bed as Suzy did the same. Surrounding themselves in boxes in the tight space under the bed frame, the twins tried their best to hide as fast as they could. Someone pounded on the door, sending spiderweb cracks racing through the wood. After what seemed like hours of pounding, the door barreled open with a sound as loud as a gunshot. Splinters soared across the room like a barrage of arrows.

Michael perched in the doorway, a grimacing grin carved into his snout. He looked uglier and more disfigured than he had the day prior, now a complete, hideous monster. Peeking through the boxes and containers, Brendon barely got a glimpse of it. It's head swiveled unnaturally, examining the room for any sign of the kids.

"Now.. where did you two little twerps disappear off to? You know it's just about my breakfast time!" Michael uttered. Creeping around the bedroom silently, he suddenly uncovered Brendon's hiding place. "And you two dorks are on the menu!"

The monster that was Michael jumped down to all fours, sniffing the air like a dog hunting deer. Its silver eyes then flashed towards the evry spot where Brendon hid. Brendon felt his heart sink into his stomach.

"There you are, you little rat! Why don't we sit down for a bite?" Michael rasped, poking his dirty claws through the boxes and noisily knocking everything out of the way as Brendon tried to back off to no the bed up with an inhuman strength, he hurled it to the side of the room where it crashed through the wall. The monster's hand swiped through the empty space, slashing Brendon's face with razor-sharp claws. All of a sudden, the creature whipped its head around to the sound of bells chiming in the hall.

A grandfather clock had struck on the hour, chiming a peaceful song of morning. Michael rapidly flung himself to his own room, pouncing onto his bed. His human figure was reforming as he awoke from a false sleep. As the teenager pushed himself off the bed like nothing had happened, William sprinted into Brendon and Suzy's room, noticing the tossed-about clothes and toys.

"What the hell is going on here?!" William bellowed, observing the mess. Brendon and Suzy crawled out of their hiding spots, shaking in their skin. The now-human Michael drowsily poked into the room, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Uh.. guys? What happened?" Michael said sleepily, still trying to wake up from the rest he never got. "Anyone else have freaky nightmares?"

William turned around, a scowl engraved in his face. "Michael Afton, do you know what you just did?"

Michael glowered around the devastated room, a look of confusion and worry carved on his face. "W-wait. That was _real?!_ I didn't do anything, Dad. I-I promise. I wouldn't hurt a fl-"

William cut him off, shaking his head. "Michael, I know. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and I will do what I must."

Brendon and Suzy glanced at each other for a moment, then to the scene playing out before their eyes.. William had clutched the back of Michael's torn shirt and dragged him down the hallway to his room with a surprising strength. Michael kicked and yelled like a rabid dog, despite his father's seeming unwillingness to harm him.

After pushing Michael inside his room, William had wandered down the stairs, proceeding to rummage through a closet. He grabbed an old shock collar and remote out of the storage and took one dead glance at it before climbing up the staircase once again. Suzy whimpered as the father stormed into the teenager's room, clutching the collar with tight fists.

"I know it's not right, Michael..." William uttered, gritting his teeth with utter disgust as he reentered his son's room. Unlatching the electric collar, he quickly whipped it around Michael's neck and clasped it as tight as he could. "..but it's the only thing I can do to keep you - and our family - safe."

"D-dad..?" Michael whimpered, backing up against the closet doors of his room. "You don't have to do this..! You really don't!"

William sighed. "I don't care, Michael. This is for your safety."

Michael yelped as William hit the sole button on the controller. A painful, stinging shock raced through his neck with a short zap. His father left the room and slammed the door shut so hard that it swung back open. The silhouette of William in the doorway was hardly visible, but it looked as if it had already forgotten what had happened.

"Brendon! Suzy! Get down here _now!_ Breakfast time!" the father shouted, switching on the morning news as he poured dry cereal into three bowls. One for himself, one for Brendon and one for Suzy. Just as the children sat down, an alert flashed across the T.V. screen. A blurry security image of a man - a man who could have been anybody - in a rabbit suit showed on the static-infested display. Only four words accompanied it:

 _Fazbear Kidnap Suspects Found._

* * *

 **Author's Note:** What was that one line from Sister Location again? "Let's give Foxy a controlled shock"? :)

jk. I had too much fun writing this chapter. All this action is just so fun to write!

Chapters should be coming every few days. I've had more time to write lately. Stay tuned, y'all! :D


	9. Robotic Turmoil

William rapidly flicked off the television and looked at his children. "We're leaving the house. Back to Freddy's, now." Brendon backed out from the rickety wooden chair he sat in, still traumatized from the bite. Suzy reluctantly agreed, dragging Brendon with her.

"I'm sure it's important, Brendon," Suzy whispered, hiding her words from her father. "I'll make sure the big bear won't get you this time."

Brendon smiled just a bit. "Thanks," he whispered. "That bear is... really scary."

" _Let's go,_ kids! I have some business I need to attend to, and I can't leave you alone with your brother!" William shouted. Brendon and Suzy made a beeline for the car, hopping in the torn back seats of the musty old automobile. Their father sped towards Freddy's, where a shocked Henry stood at the entrance. The parking lot was filled with empty police cars.

"William, why in all hell are you here? And with your kids? Have you forgotten yesterday entirely?" Henry whispered through his teeth as he ran his fingers through his tangled nest of brown hair.

William shook his head. "I'm here for my own reasons, Henry. The only thing I ask you is to get out of the way."

"You're wishing for death, Will. But if you need to go in, do as you must. I can't stop you." Henry shrugged, holding a single glass door open. "I might as well tag along with the kids while you're at it." he smirked, his mood entirely flipped from just seconds before.

Brendon tiptoed into the building, a shiver crawling down his spine. Suzy followed close behind, listening for any unusual noises. The room was dim with only a bit of sunlight streaming in, particles of dust spinning and floating in the air. Everything appeared old and broken in the darkness. Detectives and policemen littered the room as they discovered evidence they assumed was true. William disappeared into another room, a policeman following behind him.

After hours of staring outside the wide windows of the restaurant, one of the detectives called Henry over by his side, right next to the starry curtain. Brendon and Suzy ducked under a table nearby, listening in like spies.

"I assume you're... Henry?" the detective pondered, gesturing towards him.

Henry nodded, confirming his identity. "Yes, sir. Are there any questions you'd like to ask of me?"

The detective and Henry kept chatting about the Bite, also questioning if he knew about the missing children. The curtain behind Henry rustled just a bit, drawing Suzy's attention.

"Brendon! That curtain, it moved!" Suzy whispered, almost silently. Brendon nodded just a little. He had seen as well. A few more minutes flew past, the children refocusing on the two adults' droning conversation.

"Oh.. yes, William. He's quite the capricious fellow, y'see. One minute he's perfectly content with life and the next he's furious with the robots or something like that. He has to be the most loyal worker here, though. He works here all day tirelessly. Don't know what he's been up to lately though, if anything, but it's felt like he's been hiding something the past couple weeks..."

Henry droned on. The curtain shuffled again. A glint of a sharp blade was barely visible through the part in the fabric. Faster than Henry could blink, the back of his uniform was caught by the serrated edge of a pirate's hook. A deep, robotic laugh erupted from the cove as Henry was yanked into the folds of the drapes. Suzy gasped, covering her mouth in awe.

The policeman and the twins stared onwards in complete shock. Not only had Henry and William disappeared without a trace, but the three main Fazbear performers had vanished from the stage with a series of thumps and crashes that rocked the tiled floor. The room had almost totally blackened, the sun setting and fading behind the mountains outside. Suddenly, a maniacal laugh rang through the building as the police officer was also dragged out of sight.

Suzy glanced behind her, where out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the tall silhouette of a robotic rabbit and the shadow of a mechanical chicken in the distance, where the officer was struggling to fend off the beasts before him. Suzy turned away just as the bird's lifeless stare met hers.

Gasping under her breath, she rapidly crawled out of the table she was currently under and hid beneath another. Signaling for Brendon, she directed him to move to another table. He stayed put, frozen in place like a stone statue. The bird clomped closer, a robotic giggle escaping from its beak. Brendon finally skedaddled from underneath, maneuvering to yet another table next to the door. The avian animatronic somehow heard his near-silent movement and began to chase after in his direction.

Thumping footsteps rocked the floor as Brendon dove under the table, skidding on the cold, slick tile. Two piercing pink lights broke the darkness, scanning the checkered floor like a spotlight on a stage.

"I know you're in here somewhere..." the creature whispered raspily as it slowly approached him. "You know you can't hide for long, hun..!"

The scratches of the mechanical monster's feet grew closer and closer, and only now Brendon could barely make out its features. As he cautiously peeked through the legs of the cheap plastic chairs, he saw the grotesque build of the mech. Its sharp feathers were strewn about, pointing in awkward angles. Twisted limbs hung near-separated from its bulky body, only held together by stripes of flesh and wires. The awful, metallic stench of blood and mucus began to fill the room.

Brendon whipped his head back in disgust, briefly forgetting he was under a table. His head bonked a chair, uncovering his hiding spot as the scars and stitches across his forehead began to ache. The monster halted in its tracks as its head twisted and popped beyond it's normal range to face him. It stalled for barely a second, it's cracked beak and faux teeth glinting despite the feeble light.

"There you are..!" the grotesque creature croaked, her plastic beak snapping open and shut. The bird giggled, but it all seemed like a faux emotion to Brendon.

"Do-on't be shy, Brendon!" she cackled, uncaring if she was heard.

Brendon scooted back under the table trembling with fear. the robot's joints whirred and clicked as she bent down to Brendon's level, her wing thrusting under the table as its knife-like feathers sliced the tablecloth with ease. After the cloth was shredded into thousands of threads, he closed his eyes and whispered, just as the bloodstained feathers of Chica the Chicken soared straight at him.

Brendon felt someone dragging him out of the maze of chairs. Looking back, he saw Suzy grabbing his arm with determination, begging him to get up.

"Brendon, now's our chance! Let's go!" Suzy whispered rapidly as Chica dove under the table and scattered the seats while Bonnie sprinted right towards the two kids from the side. At the last possible chance, Suzy leaped towards the exit as quick as she could, Brendon trailing behind. They sprinted away from the pizzeria faster than their legs could normally carry them.

They rounded a dimly-lit corner onto a small, dark street lined with identical houses. Unwilling to look back, Suzy still clutched her brother's hand as her short strawberry-blonde hair bounced in the light breeze. After an eternity of panicked sprinting, Suzy slowed to a stop, leaning against a rusty street lamp and trying to catch her breath.

"Suzy.. what are we going to do now?" Brendon mumbled, looking back at the cracked sidewalk behind him. "We can't go home.. And I'm pretty sure those robots are trying to break out of.. you-know-where."

Suzy looked back at Brendon, her breathing abnormally fast. "I-I don't know what to do. If those things are out there, they're looking for us, Brendon. And I'm sure they want us for something."

Brendon looked down at his feet, then back up at Suzy. "Um.. do you remember the news this morning? What the headline said?"

His sister nodded softly. "Uhh.. Fazbear Kidnapper Found or something..? It was only there for a second, I didn't have the time to read all of it. I saw the picture, though. It looked exactly like Dad.."

"Yknow what, Suzy? We should probably find home.." Brendon murmured, trying to avoid the subject. "With everything that happened, I'm sure Michael needs our help.. Even if he's a big scary monster now, he's probably scared too. He needs us."

Brendon took Suzy's hand. Suzy looked at him, nodding once again. "..yeah, Brendon. Let's go."

As they endlessly wandered towards their street in the night, Brendon couldn't help but look back behind him every corner they turned. It was like the darkness was following him, all the way back to his home.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** hey, y'all

Sorry for the delays. Things have been happening.

Stay tuned!


	10. Sun After the Storm

The Afton house stood tall and menacing in front of Brendon and Suzy. In the dark, it almost looked like the head of a monster poking out of the dirt. Shuddering, they walked up the creaky wooden steps to the porch that sung their eerie song of age. Suzy was just about to press the button on the doorbell when Brendon cut her off.

"Don't do that..!" he whispered, his voice tense. "Michael could hear us! I don't wanna go through _that_ again... I really don't." His tone had faded to a very faint murmur.

Suzy pulled her finger away from the bell. Silently, she sat down on the side of the porch, staring at something high up in the sky. Brendon joined her cautiously, letting his legs dangle off the deck. As he looked up, he saw what Suzy was gazing so intently at.

A galaxy's worth of stars illuminated the sky. Perfect purples and blues painted the darkness alongside stars that dotted the world like the freckles on Brendon and Suzy's young faces. They could almost see the stars dancing on their paths in the sky. The soft chirp of crickets rung around them like an orchestra's song. Somehow, the world felt like a better place with the world's painting in the heavens above them.

Brendon wasn't keeping track of time. The sky above him and his sister was too beautiful to ignore. His eyelids slowly became heavier as the night went on, and soon he finally curled up on the wooden deck and closed his eyes.

* * *

The sun had finally peeked beyond the horizon and leaked through his eyelids. Rubbing his eyes, Brendon slowly picked his sore back up off the hard wooden deck and saw Suzy awake as well. She was just about to open the front door to the house, seemingly anxious to get in.

Brendon stood, back still sore, and drowsily slouched over to the door. Without a word, he rang the doorbell, sending a chime running through the house.

One minute passed while Brendon awaited an answer.

Two minutes.

Just after three long minutes passed, the door moved open just a bit with the quiet creak of rusty hinges.

"Yes..?" The person behind the door mumbled in a groggy teenage voice, sounding exhausted. The door opened further, revealing the familiar but sleepy face of Michael. His eyes widened in shock.

"Brendon? Suzy?! What are you two _doing_ out there?" Michael questioned, hopping back from the door. "You were gone for so long, too.. What happened?"

Suzy hastily replied, her face pale as visions of the night before flashed through her head. "Ummm.. can we discuss that later?" She shuddered again, the image of Chica's disgusting, horrifying face burned in the back of her mind. "Not a pleasant story."

The kids stepped inside the house wearily. It was a total relief to live inside the comfort of home again. Michael cooked breakfast for the kiddos, placing bread into the family's broken toaster as he cracked open eggs. After an awkwardly long time, he pulled out two plates of burnt 'food' and handed the hot dishes to Brendon and Suzy before making his own.

As they sat around the table and ate, Suzy noticed how odd Michael seemed as of late. Everything about him was more foxlike than before. His posture was straighter, his eyes more bright and alert than they were before, even when he was tired. Even the way he moved was more energetic and light than it was just a few days prior. It didn't seem right somehow, even though he was still, well, _Mike._

Her thought was cut short by the _knock-knock_ at the door. Before anyone had gone to answer, William Afton appeared in the doorframe, shoving endless wooden boxes and crates inside the living room. He carried labeled canisters and other certainly questionable things into the house's cellar.

Despite the children knowing his suspicious presence, William didn't say a word.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Apologies for the delays on chapters lately. Summer's been busier than I thought. :(  
However, I'm going to try my best and keep up here, so stay tuned!


	11. Silence Is Always Broken

The two weeks of silence that followed that morning was all the Afton children could wish for. The children wore smiles upon their faces once again after each day that flew by. The solitude from the struggle was almost therapeutic in a way.

But that didn't mean everything had gone back to the way it was. Michael still locked himself in the abyss of his room every night, the pain of his unwilling changes never getting any duller. Even as the person he really tried to be, he still seemed just a bit less human with each passing dawn. He stood in the spots where the sun peeked through the windows more often like a dog would. If there wasn't something odd about Michael Afton before, there surely was now.

It was one of those more peaceful nights when rain dripped down the roof and soaked everything it touched. Brendon and Suzy were tucked in their beds, dozing off as Michael did the same, seemingly unchanged that evening. The middle of the night came and passed as William near-silently entered the younger kids' bedroom.

 _Should I really be doing this?_ He thought to himself. _Yes. It's mandatory if you want what you want, you nincompoop._ As William creeped over to Brendon, he gently shook him awake.

"Brendon, come with me. _Now._ " William hazily murmured as his son awoke from the soft slumber he was in. As William signaled him out of the room, Brendon raised his eyebrow as he climbed off of his bed and fixed his messy hair. He followed his father down the stairs, realizing he was still wearing his clothes from the day before, a baggy grey sweatshirt and blue jeans.

William stood at the cellar door, staring straight through it. As Brendon approached, he opened the door with a creak and disappeared inside the black abyss of the basement.

"Get down here, Brendon. I'm not going to ask you again." William said grudgingly as Brendon tiptoed down the cold concrete steps into the darkness.

William stood at the bottom of the staircase, holding an odd, patchy tablet with the feed of a camera on it's screen. "Stay down here. Keep the doors closed. Do not ask questions." he sternly asserted. "I will retrieve you later."

William turned back up the stairs and shut the door just as a quiet hissing began to ring in the room. Something felt wrong, like Brendon glanced around nervously, trying to find where it came from. After just a minute, the hissing stopped. He shuddered.

 _What's going on?_

Something was there with him. Brendon didn't know what it was - it was too dark to see more than a foot in front of him. There was only the thumping of footsteps on the floor and the faintest sound of breathing behind him growing ever closer. Besides his trembling, he stood nearly still. The breaths were getting closer, and something was beginning to show in the corner of his eye. As it began to peek at Brendon's face, he clamped his eyes shut.

 _Don't move._

As the footsteps meandered around him, Brendon's head began to ache with a sense of noxiousness. What sounded like a deep chuckle rang around him.

 _It's not there. It's not there... right?_

The footsteps paused. Brendon slowly opened his eyes. The thing.. whatever it was, was gone. But it still felt like something was staring at him through the darkness.

All of a sudden after what felt like hours on end, something shot out from nowhere. Brendon didn't have time to glance at details, but what he could barely see was the frightening image of a faux blue bunny and it's wide, monstrous smile.

Brendon dove out of the way, shrieking as the rabbit lunged at him again. It kept turning back around to face him after every panicked dodge, lashing out again and again. The twisted thing seemed to be howling with laughter.

"Stop it..! G-get away from me!" Brendon cried out, stumbling over his own feet as he sprinted in circles away from the ravenous rabbit.

A camera beeped in the darkened corner of the basement. Behind it, William Afton looked on at his son from the feed of a monitor as he sat at an old maplewood desk. Brendon was running away from nothing, shrieking and weeping as he tried getting away. _I didn't want to do this,_ he thought. _But I need to know how he'd react._

William pulled a dusty notepad from a drawer. With a pen in hand, he jotted down four peculiar words on a particularly crowded page: _Carbon Monoxide Test: Success._

Glancing back to the cameras after overlooking his notes, he saw the most peculiar sight. Brendon had kneeled on the concrete floor, his entire body in shadow. The only sound coming from the feed was blood-curdling screaming. William raised an eyebrow, jumping out from his chair and out of the room he perched in. Exiting the room and finding himself in the living room, he heard the shrieks ringing through the entire house. Michael and Suzy leaned off the upper staircase's railing, their eyes filled with fear.

William sprinted down the cold stairs of the basement, haphazardly leaving the door open for Michael to peek inside. As William reached the basement floor, he fumbled around for the lightswitch. As he finally got the lights to flicker on, Brendon whipped his head around to see William. He jumped up from the floor, but only stood facing his father at a distance. Suzy had leaped down the stairs, covering her mouth as she saw Brendon. William froze in place as he examined his son.

The right half of Brendon's clothes were torn and mangled. His arm and leg on the same side were replaced with those of a golden teddy bear's, broken claws breaking through the impossible seams on his fingers and toes. His ears were also changed to match the other odd limbs. Wiry fur stuck out from nearly everywhere where Brendon had transformed. His eyes were overflowing with tears and his face couldn't decide if it was pale with shock or red from pain and tears.

Brendon spoke up from across the room. The way his voice trembled with pure pain and anguish felt off in a way.

"Dad.. do you know why this happened to me..?"

William froze. It was almost wrong for someone like Brendon to just ask why something like this would have happened. He was a bright child, he would have known-

"...B-because I do."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Happy Father's Day! Not to William Afton though, he's a _horrible_ father.

Anyways, I hope you all are enjoying this story so far! :) I mean, despite how weird it is, haha

Stay tuned, for the next chapter is coming soon!


End file.
